Control apparatus



A. 1. HALL AND C. C. WHITTAKER.

CONTROL APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. 1919 Patenteasept. 14,1920.

4 SHEETS-'SHEET l- Patented Sept. 14,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. I. HALL AND C. C. WHITTAKEH.

coNTRoL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. 1916. 1,352,448.

-ZJ l N. M N E.

ATTORNEY A. J. HALL AND C. C. WHITTAKER.

coNIRoLAPPARATus.

APPLICATION FILES DEC. 9, 1916. 1,352,448. Patentedsept. 14,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

` 4o 'l L13 f AMA Wl www LL\ TY! WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTRNEY A. J. HALL AND C. C. WHITTAKER.

CGNTROL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, 1916.

I 1 352,448. Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES Piriizlvl oFFics.

ARTHUR J. HALL AND CHARLES C. WHIT-TAKER, OF VTILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS T0 WESTINGI-IOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, vA

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

Application filed December 9, 1916. Serial No. 136,033.

To all fr0/wm 15 may concern:

Be known that we, Antenna J. HALL, a subject of the King of AGreat Britain, and a resident of llilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, and CHARLES C. WHITTA sa, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and' useful Improvement in Control Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

(iur invention relates to control apparatus and especially to certain structural features of liquid rheostats andthe like.

The object of our invention is to provide means which is simple and inexpensive in construction and e'liective andv reliable in operation for enabling a liquid rheostat to be employed in connection with relatively high-voltage circuits without any of the undesirable results that have obtained in the prior art when such high-voltage operation was attempted.

More specifically stated, it is the object of our invention to provide a plurality of specially arranged non-conducting barrier members extending upwardly from the tank bottom to a predetermined'height between the electrodes. thereby causing' the electric current-carrying particles of the liquid to follow tortuous paths and thus effect proper operation of the rheostat under relatively high-voltage conditions, as hereinafter more fully set Jforth. n

Our invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a liquidV rheostat constructed in accordance with our invention' Fig. 2 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of a p0rtion of the apparatus shown in Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a view, partially in end elevation and partially in section, of our liquid rheostat; Fig. i is a detail view of a portion of one of the barrier members vof the preceding tig# ures; Fig. o is a curve chart serving to illustrate the normal relation between the voltage drop and the distance, from one electrode to another, in a simple electrolytic cell; Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are diagrammatic views of modifications of the non-conduct- -ing barrier ar angement shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line IX-IX of Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 are views, in side elevation and in front elevation, respectively, of a further modified form of a portion of the barrier structure.

Referring to the drawings, the structure shown comprises a rectangular liquid-rhoestat tank 1 containing a plurality of spaced electrodes or plates 2 and a plurality ofnonconducting barrier members 3 that extend upwardlv from the tank bottom to a predetermined height between certain successive electrodes 2; a plurality of base-blocks 4 and 5 for the purpose of suitably assembling the barrier members into a compact unitary structure; an inlet tube or weir 6 that extends across one end of the tank 1; and a plurality of discharge-valve openings 'T that are located in a depression or well 8 near the opposite end of the tank.

ince our present invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the nonconducting barrier members 3, only a brief description of the remainder of the tank construction will be necessary for a complete understanding of our invention. l

Liquid is admitted to the inlet weir 6 through a suitable pipe 9, from the continuous-flow pumping system (not shown) that is preferably associated with the liquid-rheostat tank, and flows toward the dischargevalve openings 'T substantially parallel to the electrodes 2 and the barrier members 3. The height of the electrolyte in the tank is fixed by the actuation of suitable tubular valve members (not shown), of a general type that is familiar in the art, within the tank bottom openings 7 lormallf", the flow of liquid over the inlet weir 6 toward the discharge openings 7 is of relatively shallow depth and remains a material distance below the lower edges of the electrodes 2. For further description, reference may be had to a copending application of A. J. Hall, 'Serial No. 101,960, filed June 6, 191.6.

The non-conducting barrier members 3 are arranged in staggered or non-alined pairs comprising a longerr anda shorter main body member or slab 10 and 13, re-v spectively, the pairs being assembled be,- tween the successive electrodes'of greatest length, in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3. The slabs 10 and 13 are preferably of Y to withstand the local heating'V from suchY the soapstone soapstone yor somel other suitable non-conf ducing material and are supported on each s ide by means of plates ot' smaller size 11 and 14, respectively, oi' some suitable elastic or cushioning material, such as micarta board, or other compressed impregnated fibrous material. The side plates 11 and 14 ot suoli. resilient non-'brittle material not' Velectrolyte splashed over the tops ofthe bar-A rier members, therebytending to disintegrate them. To materially reduce such pin-arcing, Vinserts 12 ot uartz, or some Vother vitreous material ota relatively small co-etticient of oubieal expansion and having i a'beveled or sharpened upper edge, as best shownV in Fig. 4e, are provided. The inserts 12 are cemented into grooves that run along the middle ot the upper inclined surfaces ot tively, and. such construction will be found to decrease the above-mentioned ipiiifarcing l and the resultant diiiiculties, since the vitreousinaterial isinherently Abetter able arcingY as occurs. c

' rlfhe adjacent vertical edges of the soap stone slabs 1t) and'l', included in each pair ot barrier members, are tapered, or beveled Vin opposite directions, as shown at 16 and.

17, respectively, in Fig. 1, to provide. asuit- Y abl r constricted but an aroximatel i iarallelsided 1oathbetween,successive longest electrodes, and alsoto preventtlieroccurrenceV of stagnantV pools, or eodying,inear the bar-A rier. edges, with consequent liability vto thev formation of steainV pockets and v arcing 'therethroiiglr rtheupperedges ot the slabsV 1 and 113 are sloped to correspond to the Y tapered lower edges Yo the electrodes 2 (see the sets of plates onl the 2), whereby a substantially constant area of availableelectrolyte above the barrier members obtains, ,vithin predetermined side-tipping limits .ot the locomotive upon w ich the iheostats are'installed, which is an advantageous feature.v

Along the sides ot the tank 1, relatively thick soap'stone slabs liand 19 are located, and asimilar slab 20 ispositioned in the center of the tank. ln the Vpresent instance, respective 'sides ot correspond to Yditand Vit will, therethe lintermediate 20 jferent electrical circuits lslope toward the vbottom openings if.

barriers 10 and 13, iespecf tore, be understood that, incase asingle electrical circuit is to be governed by a liq- 'Y uid rhe'ostat of Your invention, such ans-in'- termediate slab would not be necessary,A

The soapstoneblocks '4 are assembled in alinement between the successive barrier members 13 near the discharge end of the tank and severally have top surfaces 21 that The other base-blocks 5 are rectangular in form, are alined between the other barrier members 10 and extend from the corresponding base-blocks d to the inlet weir G, whereby Y acontinuous door `tor the flow otelectrolyte is formed. A'strip of metal 22, welded or otherwise attached'to the inner wall of the well 8, is provided for further longitudinally positioning the base-blocks.

For the purpose vot providing a relatively rigid and stable unitary barrier structure, discontinuous holes 25 are drilled in opposite sides ot the blocks el Yand 5, and metal dowels or pin members 26 extend through* each ofthe barrier members 10 and 13 and a certain dista-nce into the'alined holes 25 of the adjacent pairsoit blocks 5 and Il, respectively. For, the sake of cle'arness and simplicity, not all of the holes 25 are shown. Thus, the barrier structure is assembled piecev by piece, including the intermediate slab 20, and finally, the side slabs'18 and `19 vare secured to the tank side walls Vin a manner to be described, whereby the de# sired characteristics of rigidity and stability are secured. ABy providing discontinuous Y metal pins instead oi' continuous rods, undesirable expansion, by heating during rheostat operation, is obviated. j

'F or the purposeof positioning the barrier structure as ac wlioleV within the tank 1 in order to provide the proper spaced rela--V tion with respect to the electrodes 2, suitable adjusting means 2T is provided at a plurality oft points along the respective lower corners ot the rheostat tank 1, that is, just below the side slabs 1S and 19. -lllach adjusting means comprisesv a short 'metallic' plate 27S that is secured by welding, or otherwise,'to the tank side wall anda coriespondf ingvmetal plate QQthat is located in contact with the end voi"4 one of thefstonc blocks e and 5. By means ot a suitable bolt BO'that abuts against the plate 2S and extends through the plate 29 into the adjacent base# block, and a' lock nut 31'acting in conjunctionV with the bolt 30, the entire barrier structure or group may be shifted within predetermined limits, as will be understood. I Toposition the upperfends of Athe side vslabs 18 and 19, angular brackets 32 ,areV portions ot the tank secured to adjacent side wallsand bolts Vand lock nuts 33' and Se, respectively, are again utilized to suitably bear upon the upper faces of the slabs and rigidly secure them in position, vsuch densities that would otherwise occur at the surfaces of plates unprotected by barriers. or our invention', iii relatively highsvoltage operation were attempted,- do not obtain in the higher levels of theelectrolyte, because ot the ample plate surface corresponding to the several phases of the electrical circuit to be governed.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 wherein the structureshown' comprises the containing tank l; a plurality of the electrodes 2, a 'roup ot non-conducting barrier members or' soapstone slabs V50 and 5l, preferably arrai'iged in pairs in the pre viously-deseribed staggered relation; a plurality of the side-plates or cushioning members lli-and i3 of micarta board or other suitable material; Va number of the baseblocks and 5; and resilient means 52 in Y present instance, the top edges of the soapstone slabs and 5l are b veled inV opposite,Y directions to thus reduce the liability tol pin-arc'ing, toa certain extent, without necessitating the hereinbet'ore-described inserts Al2 or the vitreous material.. To prevent the occurrence of leakage `currents from. one electrode through the joints between theV Vbase-blocks and the barriers 'to themetal bottom orp theitank and thence to another electrode, such metal bottom may. becovered with a mat 53 of micarta board, or the like, upon which the barrier group rests.

The resilient means 52 is shown asv comprising a plurality of three-leaf, flat-spring members that are suitably spaced apart along each side of vthe barrier group and severally operate within guiding channels that are'r'ormed by'angle-irons odiar-ranged in pairs, and which are riveted or otherwise suitably secured" to "a metallic bar member,- 55 that extends along the edge of the outerV Y p Y n connectioiiwith Fig. 8 and 9,`it is besoapsto'ne base-block. For the purpose oit rigidlyf securing the upper ends y of the. spring members a plurality of- Z-b'ars 56v have their'respective .flanges riveted to the tank w'allfand bolted to the upper ends ot the 'spring members, the lower ends Vci which are thus adapted to freely bear y against the sides of the barrier group.- lnf.

termediately located Z-bars 57 are also preterably employed togpartially support the spring members by' bearingagainst them near their middle portions and thus Jforming a tule-rum point. The barrier group is thus .resiliently positioned .in `the vcontaining tank, and shocks fployed. Y

andjarsimparted to the group are absorbed.V bythe various spring members so that the possibility of: breakage of thebarriergroupslabsis very remote. "Such an arrangement is particularly*valuable in cases where the slabs in question extendgcross-wise oi' a locomotive, whereby startingfand stoppingY thereof tends to shear o'fl the slabs, as` will be understood. Y l i Y i A modified construction for resiliently se curing the barrier group within the rheostat tank is shown in Fig. l0 and Fig. 11 and comprises a plurality of the` three-leaf spring 'members 52 that are 4spaced along each side oi*1 the group in the previouslydescribed manner. Y p Y How ver, instead of employing the angleiron guiding channels that are illustrated inV Fig. 9, the lower ends ot' the spring meinbers are riveted directly to the bar 55 that extends along the edge of the outer soapstone block. ln the place ot1v the two Z-bars 56 and 57 that are shown in Fig. 8, a single channel member 6G, having an intermediate flat portion 6l and off-set side flanges 62 and G3, utilized to rigidly ,secure the/upper end of each spring member to the adjacent tankwall, and alsol to provide a suitable intermediate ulcrum-pointv on thei spring member; y g 'Y rFiie intermediate portion 61 of each channel member 60 is secured by rivets 64, or otherwise, tothe adjacenttank wall, while theupper ange 62 is attached, .by means ot' a bolt 65,' tor example, to therupperiend oil theV corresponding spring member. VTheV loweiffiange 63 merely bears against the middle portion or" the spring member, thereby acting as a fulcrum-point to'cause adesirable pressure to be, exerted against the barrier group, as a whole.

For the sakeof saving weight andcost, the channel members 60 are shown as having a Vwidth that is substantially equal to that of Y Vthe `flat-spring members, although, it desired, a single channel member that extends the entire width otl the tankmaybe em- Yln viewer the general similarity ofthe structure gust described' to that set forth in lieved that the operation of spring members V52 to suitably reduceY shocks and Vjars to lvl-.le dol notrwish to berrestricted to thel speciiic structural details or arrangement ot parts herein set forth, as various modifications thereot may be. effected without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. 'Vile desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are in v dicated in the appended claims.

' lV e claimas our invention:

.11. In a liquid rirlieostat, the combination.

with a tank and a plurality .of electrodes contained therein, a plurality of barrier .nembers or non-conducting material estend ng upwar` Airon-'i the tank bottom to a prenetermined height above the lower edges of said electrodes. f

'2. In a liquid rlieostat, the combination with a tank and a plurality ot electrodes contained therein, ot' means eiitending upwardly from the tank bottom for causing the current-carrying particles oi' electrolyte to follow a tortuous l ath, whereby the volt age between' electrodes is materially increased. y *Y 3. In a. liquid rheostat, the combination wit-ha and a plurality of electrodes Vcontainer therein, oi a plurality of non-conducting barriers assembled in staggered pairs between successive electrodes.

el. ln a liquid rlieostat, the combination with a tank and a plurality of electrodes contained therein, orn a plurality of non-conducting barriers extending upwardly from the tank bottom jor a predetermined distance and assembledin staggered pairs between successive electrodes.

In a liquid rheostat, thecombination with a tank and a plurality oi electrodes contained therein, of plurality of non-conducting barriers extending upwardly from the tank bottom to a predetermined height above the lower edges of said electrodes and assembled in staggered pairs between successive electrodes.

6. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a tank and a plurality of electrodes contained therein, ot a plurality of non-conducting barriers assembled in staggered pairs between successive electrodes, the adjacent vertical edges of the barriers being beveled.

7..,In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a tank and a plurality of electrodes having tapered edges, of aplurality of barriermembers of non-conducting material extending upwardly from the tank bottom and having upper edges that correspond in inclination to said tapered electrode edges.

8. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a tank and a plurality of electrodes having tapered edges, of a plurality of non conducting barrier members extending upwardly from the tank bottom to a predetermined height above said tapered electrode edges, the upper edges of said barrier members having a corresponding inverted taper.

9. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a tank and a plurality of electrodes having tapered edges, of a plurality of nonconducting barriers assembled in staggered pairs between successive electrodes, the adjacent vertical edges or' the barriers being beveled, and the upper edges of the allied barriers being inclined to correspond to said tapered electrodo fdges.

l0. A non-conducting barrier member for iquid rheostats having, on its upper edge,

means for preventing pin-arcing b y reason of the formation drops of liquid thereon. ll. i non-conducting barrier member for liquid rheosta-ts having, in its upper edge,

an inserted member of a material having a an inserted member of vitreous material hfvino a beveled ro )er edOe litige still D.

i3. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a non-conducting barrier member oi' readily breakable material, of means disposed along the sides thereof to provide av supporting and cushioning eiifect.

i4. In a liquid rheostat, the combination i non-conducting barrier member ot' y br akable material, of a plurality ot plates orp resilient, non-brittle material of smaller size than the barrier member placed on opposite sides thereof. f

15. il non-conducting barrier group for liquid rheostats comprising a plurality oi upwardly citen @ing slabs, cushioning plate members on each side thereof, and a plu,- ra-lity oit base-blocks rigidly positioned be tween successive slabs.

I6. non-conducting barrier group for liquid rheostats comprising a plurality of upwardly-extending slabs arranged in staggered pairs, cushioning plate members of smaller sise than the corresponding slabs located on each side thereof, and a plurality ol spacing base-blocks rigidly positioned between successive slabs.

1?. non-conducting barrier group for liquid rheostats comprising a plurality o1c upwardly-extending slabs arranged in staggered pairs, cushioning plate members ot' smaller size than the 'correspomling slabs located on eacli side thereof', a plurality of spacing base-blocks rigidly positioned between successive slabs, and a. plurality ot inserts ot vitreous material located along the upper edges ot said slabs.

18, ln a liquid rheostat, the combination with an electrode-containing tank, of a nonconductino' barrier group comprising a pluc rality or slabs extending upwardly lbetween Vthe elecgrodes and arranged in staggered qmilfs, cushioning plate members of smaller -fize than the corresponding slabs located on V3aah side thereof, a plurality ot base-blocks igidly positioned between successive slabs, and means for adjustably positioning the group in said tank.

i9. In a liquid rheostat, the combination ith a tank and plurality of electrodes contained therein, of a plurality orn barrier members of non-conducting material extending upwardly from the tanl bottom, and means for resiliently associating the barrier members l'with vcertain of theV tank walls to reduce shock. f

.' V20. In aliquid rheostat, the combination with La' tank and aplurality of Velectrodes VVcontained therein, oi a plurality or" non-conductingV barriers assembled in staggered pairs between Successive electrodes, and means for resiliently associating'the barrier members with certain of the tank walls.

' ,21.1111 la'liquid rheostat,vthe combination with a tank and aiplurality of lelectrodes vcontained therein, of a plurality of non-conducting 1 barrier members extending upwardlyfrom the tankbottom and assembled in 4staggered pairs between successive electrodes, theupper edges and the adJacent' vertical edges of the barrier members being beveled.

22. The vcombination with a tank, of a nonconducting` barrier group comprising a ranged in staggered pairs, cushioning plate members of smaller size than? the corresponding slabs located on each side thereof,

a plurality or spacing base-blocks rigidly positioned between successive slabs, and a plurality of Hat-spring members each having one endrigidly secured to a-tank wall and the other end bearing againstthe group.

V24C. In a liquid rheostat, the combination with a tank and a'plurality of electrodes contained therein, of a pluralityoil barriermembers oi' non-conducting material extending toward and between said electrodes to a predetermined distance beyond the nearerset? or edges thereof. f

V 25. ln a liquid rheostat, the combination with aV tank and a plurality of electrodes contained therein, of a plurality of barrier 'members' of'non-conductingV material supported at Vthe tank bottom`A andrextending upwardly between said electrodes.

v26. A non-conducting barrier member iterV liquid rheostats having, on a free edge,

preventing arcing Vby reason vof the formation ot' drops oi' liquidupon the' barrier.

member. .Y

Ymeans comprisingan anhydrous insert for 2T. A liquid rheostat oftheitypeV wherein the liquid level isy varied to change the rheostat resistance embodying a plurality of non-conducting barrier members that are tot-ally immersed during the greater portion ot the rheostatic operation. V

28. A liquid rheostat ci' the type wherein l the liquid level is varied tochange the rheostat resistance embodying a plurality of nonoonducting barrier members'V that are supf ported by the rheostat 'frame and are totally immersedV ai'ter the initial operating stages of the rheostat.

ln testimony vember, 1916; Y

J. HALL. i' f CHARLES o. wHirrf/lirnn.

jwhereot', we have hereunto subscribed our names this 29th dayof N0` 

